FOOD FOR THOUGHT

7 reasons you might have tummy troubles

'Patients are unwittingly making their symptoms worse'

(NEWS.com.au) — OUR stomachs are surely one of the most troublesome parts of our bodies – at any point anyone can be suffering from tummy ache, bloating, wind and cramps.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which causes cramps, diarrhoea and constipation, or you just have an upset stomach from time to time, the number of people affected by gut problems is on the rise. In fact, 41% of Aussie children are now diagnosed with bowel troubles.

Dr Anton Emmanuel, consultant gastroenterologist at London’s University College Hospital and medical director at gut health charity Core, blames “excess hygiene in childhood lowering gut immunity, stressful modern lifestyles, erratic eating patterns and our greater intake of processed food”. Better diagnostic methods and awareness of gut issues also mean more people are seeing their doctors to be diagnosed.